Light beam gun



Feb. 19, 1952 HENRY ET AL 2,586,330

LIGHT BEAM GUN Filed Nov. 18, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 19, 1952 E. G. HENRY ET AL LIGHT BEAM GUN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 18, 1946 E I E I m L N,

Feb. 19, 1952 E. G. HENRY ET AL ,586,330

LIGHT BEAM GUN Filed NOV. 18, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 HITS Feb. 19, 1952 HENRY ET AL 2,586,330

LIGHT BEAM GUN Filed Nov. 18, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lili Patented Feb. 1 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHT BEAM GUN Earle G. Henry, Wilmette, and Leo L. Galinski, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Raymond T. Moloney,

Chicago, Ill.

Application November 18, 1946, Serial No. 710,464

' ing photoelectric target and novel mechanism for imparting a scrambled, irregular, meandering motion thereto, for the purpose of rendering more difiicult and interesting the exercise of skill in training the aiming piece or gun thereupon.

Another object is the provision of. a gun or aiming piece which is capable of adjustment of aim in both horizontal and vertical planes, that is to say in bearing and range, azimuth and zenith arcs.

Another object is the provision of fire control or trigger means structurally and functionally cooperative with one of the aim adjustment controls.

A further object is the provision of novel lightshutter and emission means forming part of the gun assembly.

Still another object is the provision of a timedelay circuit for the light shutter to afford rapidfire action by use of relay means.

Additional objects are the provision of a gun unit which includes as a part thereof, the light source, the shutter means, the azimuth and zenith adjustment means, the fire control means, and mechanism for rendering the zenith and azimuth adjustments non-uniform, the latter as a means of further taxing the skill of the marksman.

Additional objects and aspects of novelty will appear as the following description proceeds in view of the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal cross section through the game cabinet, showing the gun unit and targetactuating mechanism in plan;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the game cabinet, showing the gun unit, the targetactuating mechanism and the target proper in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical cross section through the game cabinet showing the target portion in elevation and parts of the targetactuating mechanism in elevation and in section;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational View of the gun unit, looking in the direction of lines 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the gun unit;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the gun unit along lines B6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail through the azimuth of horizontal aim adjustment means,

looking in the direction of lines 7-! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a schematic circuit diagram.

By way of introductory description, attention is called to Fig. 8, wherein there is disclosed an aimable gun I0, which may be trained upon a photoelectric target II by manipulation of azimuth adjustment wheel l2 and zenith adjustment wheel l3.

Target 1 l is moved both horizontally and vertically by a driving mechanism indicated generally at M and including a motor IE, it being understood that certain structural details are omitted in the schematic showing of this Fig. 8, to be particularly described hereinafter.

To operate the marksmanship apparatus of- Fig. 8, a coin is utilized in conventional manner to close a known type of coin and time switch It, thus connecting power from source I! to leads 18 so that motor [5 will run for a desired period of time,,and also energizing the amplifier unit l9, although it is frequently desirable that the latter unit be continuously energized in locations where the periods of idleness of the game are not too long, thereby eliminating the brief warmup delay necessary for the usual thermionic amplifier tubes.

With the coin switch closed as aforesaid, the target II will be in continuous, complex motion. and when the marksman is satisfied with the aim adjustment of controls I2 and I3, he may initiate a rapid-fire emission of light bullets by de pressing the azimuth wheel I2, thereby closing contacts 20 to energize the winding 21 of the fire control relay via conductors 22.

As a result of energization of the fire control relay, contacts 23 of the latter close, thereby connectingpower from the D. C. source conductors 24 (preferably taken from the D. C. power unit of the photoelectric amplifier), through normally closed contacts 26 of the timing relay 21, to

the winding of the shutter relay 25, so that the latter pulls up to close its contacts 28-48, thus connecting power from said D. C. source, via conductors 29 to winding 30 of the shutter magnet, and also to the winding (not shown) of the shot counter 3 I.

As a result of energization of the shutter coil, the latter attracts the spring normalized shutter armature 32, permitting passage of light from lamp 33 to mirror 34 in the gun l0, said mirror being angled to direct the light through the gun barrel onto the photoelectric target I I for abrief interval.

The firing interval is determined by timing relay means 21, the winding of which is connected with D. C. voltage as soon as shutter relay contacts 2828' close, as aforesaid, and so long as the normally closed contacts 26 remain closed.

However, timing relay winding 2'] does not at once become fully energized to attract its armature and thereby open contacts 26 until a condenser 35, shunted across the winding 27 be comes fully charged, the time delay afforded by the combination of winding 21 and condenser 35 being a function of the resistance of said winding and the capacity of said condenser. In one satisfactory arrangement, a suitable delay is effected by use of a D. C. voltage of volts applied to a winding resistance of 150 ohms, shunted by a capacity of 100 Mid.

As soon as winding 21 is fully energized to attract its armature and open contacts 26, shut-v ter relay winding 25 is disconnected from power, and its contacts 2828 open, thus disconnecting the timing relay 2! from power, so that the tin ing relay winding 21 is likewise disconnected from power and its contacts 26 fallback to closed condition, whereupon shutter relay 25 is again energized and the cycle is repeated, there being enough delay afforded by the Winding and shunt condenser combination 21-35 to give the effect of rapid-fire action to the light shutter 32 so long as the marksman holds closed the fire control switch 20.

Each time the light shutter opens and closes under control of the timing means aforesaid, shot register means 3| advances until a predetermined number of permissible shots has been taken and the register opens a known type of limit switch in series with main power leads 22,

thereby stopping the motor l5 and rendering the trigger switch ineffective until another coin is deposited. Each hit scored upon the photoelectric target ll actuates the hit relay 3! through amplifier 19 to step up the score on hit register 38.

Detailed description In Fig. 2, the relative disposition of the principal structural parts, including the gun I0, target H, and target-actuating means I4, is shown in relation to a cabinet having a trough-like bed portion 4! and an upright back cabinet section 42, it being pointed out that in these structural views the power pack, amplifier, and control relay means are omitted for clarity.

The photoelectric target structure includes a vertical rod upon which slides a U-shaped housing 46 containing the photo cell l IA shielded by a suitably apertured target face HB.

Target housing 46 has sufficient weight to tend to slide downwardly on rod 45,. but it is normally urged upwardly by a long spring 4! on said rod and bearing against the offset end 48 of a reciprocating arm 59, which offset end slides on the horizontally curved portion of said rod, the end of said portion being fixed as at 50 in the end of a horizontal sweep arm 5|.

Sweep arm 51 carries aflixed thereto the motor unit l5, which is of a type having a built-in speed reduction unit driving a vertical spindle 52 journaled in said arm and rotating an irregular scrambling cam 53, seen better in Fig. l, in view of which the following parts are now described.

At its left-hand end, Fig. l, the sweep arm 5| is pivotally anchored on a vertical rod 54 (see Fig. 4), so that the opposite or right-hand portion of said sweep arm describes an arc in oscillatory or back and forth motion imparted thereto by means including a crank arm 55 pivotally connected to a radius arm 56 which is in turn 4 pivotally anchored as at 51, the crank arm 55 rotating with spindle 58, which in turn is driven by pulley 59, fast thereon, through belt drive 65 with the motor spindle 52 (see Fig. 2).

Near its outer or right-hand end, the sweep arm is provided with a cross arm 55 (Fig. 1) on one end of which is carried a roller 5! (see also Fig. 2) which rides on a metal plate 62 extending transversely of the cabinet trough on support 63 (Fig. 2).

On the opposite end of said cross arm 60 is a stabilizing means including a friction drive Wheel 65 journaled in bracket 66 and having rotatable therewith a. large gear 6? (see Fig. 3) which in turn drives a pinion 68 fast with a flywheel 69; thus, as the sweep arm oscillates back and forth, the flywheel 69. is rapidly rotated by its friction drive and resists jerky alternations in movement of sweep which otherwise appear owing to play in driving components of production embodiments of the game.

The foregoing oscillation of the sweep arm accounts for one component of motion of the target assembly, since the latter is carried by said sweep arm through connection of rod 35 at its lower end with the arm as at 50. The other component of the complex motion of the target is efiected through reciprocation of arm 48 (Fig. 2), which exerts compression and relaxation efiorts at offset 48 on spring 41, thus elevating and lowering the target housing 46.

An irregular or scrambled motion is imparted to the reciprocating arm 19v through the agency of an oscillatory drive arm 10 (Fig. 1) pivotally connected thereto as at H and having a pivotally anchored end 12 on an extension 13 from the sweep arm, there being a cam roller 14 between the said pivoted ends of arm 10 bearing against the irregularly developed edge portions 53A, 53B, 53C of the scrambling cam 53, which is slowly rotated through the speed reduction means of motor 15, it being observed that spring 41 serves also to press said camroller into operative engagement with the, scrambling cam by its action against the offset end 480i arm 39.

Thusthe irregular cam drive imparts a nonuniform motion vertically to the target unit, and owing to some compressibility permitted in spring means 41, there is some additional irregularity in the up and down movement of the target unit, with the result that it is very dirficult to predict the position oithet arget from time to time.

The foregoing target drive means and target structure is regarded as one of the units of the game and is considered to be one of the important inventive elements of the disclosure.

Another important inventive aspect of the disclosure is the gununit, now described in View of Fig. 4, wherein it will appear that the heretofore described gun i0 includes a hooded breech portion 10A with a dependent (Fig. 6) bracket portion [013, as Well as a base plate 100 pivotally carried on the spindle 54, which in turn is journaled in vertically, spaced bracket members 15.

As in Fig. 6, dotted lines, the gun is rockably mounted (for vertical orelevational adjustment) on screw pins 16 engaged in atrunnion bracket H through the base of which passes the head of the spindle 54.

As in Fig. 6, vertical motions of the gun are eiiected by a vertical pin 17X having a headed upper end 18 on the inner. side of aslot in the bottom of the gun barrel, said pin sliding in a sleeve 19 on the base plate and having at its lower end a' collar which is engaged by downward movement of the edge portion 8| of a yoke bracket 82 (Fig. 4) the opposite arms of which are slidable up and down on spindle 54 with the uppermost arm thereof normally urged upwardly by spring 83.

The weight of the dependent breech bracket portion IOB of the gun normally elevates the muzzle portion thereof; however, downward movement of said yoke bracket will cause the edge portion 8| thereof to press down upon the collar 80, pulling .pin head 18 down, with a consequent lowering of the muzzle.

Up and down movement of the yoke bracket is effected by rotation of a cam 84, Figs. 4 and 6, fast on the spindle of control wheel I3, said cam bearing down on a roller 85 fast on the yoke bracket responsive to turning of said wheel in one direction, whilst turning of said wheel in the opposite direction permits spring 83 to raise the yoke with a consequent upward movement of the muzzle under counterweighing of the heavy tail bracket of the gun.

The azimuth or horizontal adjustment of the gun is effected by turning of hand wheel I2, which has, Figs. 4 and 5, a cam 81 fast therewith on spindle 08, such that a cam roller 89 at the pivotal connection of lever arms 90 and 9|, under urgence of spring 92, pivoting arm or lever 90 at 93, positions lever 9I accordingly, with a corresponding pivoting of the gun base plate [00 by connection 94, it being pointed out that the cam 81, as well as the elevation control cam 84, is developed to provide a non-linear (and in this sense irregular) displacement of the cooperating cam roller means, so that the marksman cannot too easily con-trol the adjustment responses without constant attention and concentration in skillfully following the target.

As shown in Fig. 7 particularly, novel fire-control means includes the provision of trigger switch contacts 20 positioned so that the flexible end portions thereof will be engaged by downward movement of a collar 88A on spindle 88 against the upward normalizing effort of spring 95 encircling the spindle; thus, the marksman may press downwardly on control wheel I2 and close the trigger contacts 20 while also turning the wheel to adjust the horizontal aim component.

The novel light emission and control means is carried in the tail bracket I 03 of the gun, and includes a lamp I00 (33, Fig. 8) connected in a power circuit, as in Fig. 8, light from which passes upwardly through a spot-forming aperture means IN and thence upon a reflector or mirror I02 (34, Fig. 8) angled to reflect the light out through the gun barrel.

Normally, emission of light as aforesaid is blocked by the lower end of a shutter armature 32 (Fig. 6) pivoted as at I04 and yieldingly held in blocking position by spring I05. Energization of the shutter coil as heretofore explained in conjunction with the description of Fig. 8, attracts armature member 32 so that light from the lamp I00 will pass onto the reflector. Rapidfire opening and closing of said shutter armature is effected by the circuit means described in Fig. 8, under control of fire-control contacts 20 and the time-delay relay means.

Amplifier means for the photoelectric target are not described in detail since the same are well-known in the art and do not per se constitute part of the invention; and for the same reason, hit and shot counter or register means are not shown excepting schematically. Register means suitable for use as elements SI and 30 of Fig. 8 are shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,281,262 to Breitenstein, this type of register utilizing a ratchet disc stepped around electromagnetically and carrying numerals optically illuminated or projected by a lamp. In Fig. 3, two windows or sight-openings I09, I I0, are shown in the upright section of the cabinet, behind each of which is a corresponding score or hit register dial of the class mentioned, the arrangement of one number bearing dial III and corresponding lamp and lense means H2, H3 being shown schematically in Fig. 2, and as in the latter figure, the photocell HA is preferalbly connected to the amplifier (not seen) by flexible leads I I4.

In connection with the circuit means of Fig. 8, and particularly the time-delay, rapid-fire relay means thereof, it is pointed out that condenser and relay elements have been used heretofore to afiord various special timing arrangements in conjunction with markmanship apparatus, as in U. S. Patent No. 2,188,263 to Eisenberg, wherein the predetermined charge on a condenser is utilized to hold up a relay for a length of time determined by setting of a variable resistance, so that the relay will in turn control the length of time a lamp in alight gun is illuminated.

The present control circuit is distinguished from that of said patent and other prior arrangements in that a plurality of mutually controlling relays operate in alternation under control of a time constant determined by a condenser and the resistance of one of said relays, so that a rapid-fire action is efiected for a light shutter and a constantly illuminated lamp to give a machine-gun action.

The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise details of structure and function set forth herein for illustrative purposes,

the scope of the invention rather being defined in the annexed claims which are intended to include all modifications and rearrangements of claimed features originating with this disclosure.

We claim:

1. In photoelectric aim apparatus, a rapid-fire light gun mounted for bi-manual aim adjustment in horizontal and vertical planes of movement, a manual control, including non-linear response cam and lever means for adjusting aim in either plane by rotative motion of the corresponding said manual control, one of said controls being movable longitudinally of its rotative axis also, a fire control switch actuated by longitudinal movement as aforesaid of said one control, a light source for said gun, an electrically controlled shutter operable responsive to rapid circuit interruptions to interrupt light from said source outwardly of the gun, and a rapid fire control circuit including said fire control switch and relay means energized thereby and including rapidfire circuit interruption connections with the winding of said relay means and timed by capacity connected with said winding such that the latter alters the time constant afiorded by said capacity in said control circuit.

2.Photoelectric aim means including a gun having a barrel, a breech portion, a pendant bracket from said breech portion, means pivoting the gun for vertical aim at a point between said breech portion and the muzzle, means supporting said gun for horizontal aim, a light source on said bracket, a reflector in said breech receiving light from said source and directing the light through said barrel and muzzle, an electromagnetic impulse-vibrated shutter on brackt capable cf:rapidly interrupting said light froin' the s'our'ce, manual controls relatively stationaiy with respect to the gun for adjusting either co'mponent of :aim'of said'gun, a rapid-fire energizing "circuit for said shutter, and a fire controlswitch for said circuit controlled operablyby switch means cooperatively relatedstructurally and functionally witha-particular one of said manual controls, said particular control having angular motion for aim adjustment and axial motion'f'o'r operative control of said switch means said angular and axial motions being relative to the same axis.

3. Aim apparatus comprising asupporu a gun element mounted on said support for azimuth and Zenithmovemena-a rotatable zenith control and 'coa'cting mechanism for displacing tliegun element in zenith range, a rotatable azimuth control and I coacting mechanism for displacing said gun element in azimuth "range said coacting mechanism including non-linear response cams forrendering the corresponding gun element displacement irregular.

' 4. --"Apparatus 'in accordance" with claim 3 and further characterized in that at least one of said rotatable controls also has axial freedom of motion,:and afire control element movable by axial displacement of said control.

'5. In alph'otoelectric markmanship apparatus, 'an aimable lightigun including a light source, a vibratory shutter for said source, an electromagnetadapted to be impulsed to vibrate said shutter' to simulate rapid-fire action, independently op'erablezenith and azimuth aim controls for said 'gun,bracket means mounting all of the foregoing elements in cooperative relationship as a unit, at least one of said controls being mounted to have-two modes of movement about and along asingle'axiswhich is parallel to the azimuth axis of-aim, one of which modes of movement is effective to produce aim adjustment of said gun and another of which is effective for operation of-firecontrol means for controlling operation of said shutter, and time-delay circuit means cooperable with said electromagnet and controlled by operation of said fire-control means for impulsing the electromagnet to actuate said shutter and effect rapid-fire emissions of light from said gun.

-6. In photoelectric marksmanship apparatus of the class described, light gun and means mounting the samefor bi-manual, simultaneous or independent aim adjustments in both zenith and azimuth phases, a light source movable with the gun, an impulse-operated, electromagnetically actuated shutter for said source, at least 'two selectivelybperable manual controls for respectively adjusting the azimuth or zenith aim of the gun, a time-delay relay impulse circuit connected with the electromagnetic actuating means for the shutter, a fire-control switch connected in said i'in'p'ul'secircuit to start and stop operation'of the'shutter, one'of 'said manual controls having both rotative and axial freedoms of motion angularly around and also linearly along a "common axis and being arranged to'effect a certain aim adjustment of the gun in one of its freedcins'ofmotion, and to effectoper'ation of said fire-control switch in the other one of its freedoms of motion, independently of any operationpfsaid control in aim adjustment as aforesaid.

'7. In photoelectric marksmanship apparatus, rapid fire li'g'ht gun meansincluding a gun aimable siinultaneously or independently in horiz'ontal "and vertical planes of movement, man'- iials operable independently or jointly for ad- 8 iusting -aim respectively in one of :said -planes, anda particular one :of :said manuals beingmovableoppositely to eff-ectaim adjustmentias aforesaid and also being movable ina certain direction different from its movement in aim adjustment for actuation-of fire-control means, a firecontrol switch actuated by said particular manual in the aforesaid certain direction of movement thereof, a tail bracket pendant from a breech portion of said gun, a light source carried on said bracket, a reflector in said breech portion and directing light from said source through the barrel of the gun, a shutter for interrupting'light from said source to said reflector,'impulse-a'ctu ated, electromagneticactuating means for the shutten'a direct-c'urrentpower source for said electromagnetic means, and imp'ulsing 1118311811!- cluding a pair of mutually controllingrelays, one of which has a winding'shunted by a capacityto provide a time delay, and circuit connections between said power source andsaid relays and including said fire-control switch for efieoting rapid-fire impulsing of said electromagnetic means responsive to operation of the switchby said particular manual.

8. A gun mounted for at least two modes of aim adjustment, saidgun being of a type adapted to have its firing operation controlled by a switch, a first mechanism coacting with said gun andoperable to effect adjustment of aim in one of said modes, a manual control for actuating said first mechanism, a second mechanism coaoting with said gun and operable to effect adjustment of aim in the second one of said modesya second manual control having both rotative and linear freedoms of motion respective 'to a single axis, said second manual control being operable in one of its aforesaid freedoms of motion to operate the second named adjustment mechanism, and a fireccntrol switch actuated by said second manual control in its other and remaining freedom of motion.

In an aiming device mounted for at least two modes of aim adjustment, said device being of a type having a master control to beactuated by the operator when the aiin'is adjusted, improvements comprising mechanism cooperable with said aiming device for adjusting the aim of the latter in either of its modes of adjustment separately or together, a first manual control cooperable with said mechanism for operation to efiect one of the modesof aim adjustment, 2. second-manual control and means mounting the same for compound or selectively distinct motions in different angular directions rotatively around or back and forth along one and the same axis, means operatively interconnecting said second control with said mechanism to actuate the'latter in its second modeof adjustment responsive to operation of the second manual control in one of its angular directions of motion, and a master control actuated by said second manual control inits remaining and other angular direction of motion.

10. Aim apparatus comprising a support, a gun element mounted on said support for azimuth and elevational movement, a rotatable elevation control-and coacting mechanism for displacing the gun element in elevational range, a rotatable azimuth control and coacting mechanism for displacing said gun element in azimuth range, said coacting mechanism including non-linear-re- "sponse cams for rendering the corresponding gun element displacement irregular, together witha tail element offset from the axis of 'thegun ele- 11. In a gun mount, a gun including a barrel 10 and means mounting the same for pivotal motion in both vertical and horizontal aiming adjustments, separate manually rotatable controls and coacting mechanism interconnecting the gun and controls for effecting said adjustments joint- 1y or severally, at least one of said controls having an axial freedom of back and forth movement on its axis of rotation in addition to the aforesaid rotatable control movement without affecting the aim adjustment of the aforesaid coacting mechanism associated therewith, and a fire-control device actuated by movement of said last-mentioned control only in the axial freedom of movement thereof.

EARLE G. HENRY.

LEO L. GALINSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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